Bloomsbury Acquires Debut YA Fiction Title From Author and Social Media Influencer Lex Croucher
Bloomsbury has acquired the “witty, romantic” debut YA fiction novel Gwen and Art Are Not in Love from author and social media influencer Lex Croucher. US rights were sold to the St Martin’s Press imprint Wednesday Books. The novel is set during medieval times and follows the story of four queer nobles trying to navigate an unaccepting kingdom. Hannah Sandford, senior commissioning editor at Bloomsbury, said, “Gwen and Art Are Not in Love knocked my jousting socks off. It is the witty, romantic, melodramatic, queer medieval YA romp that we all need in our lives. Lex’s writing is endlessly funny, inventive, brave, poignant, a breath of fresh air.” Gwen and Art Are Not in Love will publish in March 2023.
Denne Michele Norris Named Electric Literature‘s Editor-in-Chief
Denne Michele Norris will take the helm as Electric Literature’s new editor-in-chief, starting on August 10. Norris succeeds Jess Zimmerman, who has held the role since 2017. The independent publisher’s executive director, Halimah Marcus, praised former editor-in-chief Zimmerman for making the Electric Literature “more forward-thinking, expansive, and successful,” and said that she is “excited to see Denne carry that torch… while bringing her own unique sensibility and passions to the role.” Norris will be “the first Black and openly trans editor-in-chief of a major U.S. literary publication.”
Bouchercon Calls Off This Month’s In-Person Convention
Bouchercon, the annual mystery fiction convention, had planned to hold a live convention this August in New Orleans. However, due to the rapid spread of the Delta variant of the coronavirus, the convention has been canceled. Registrants were e-mailed last week to be informed of the cancelation. Full refunds are being offered for registration fees.
How Much Do Ratings and Reviews on Goodreads Affect Book Sales?
Our contemporary world is practically run by online reviews, from platforms like Yelp, eBay, Amazon, and Letterboxd… and of course, Goodreads. But how much do ratings and reviews on Goodreads affect book sales? Let’s look at the numbers.